Durham meeting aims to raise awareness of child sexual abuse

Preventing sexual abuse of children and raising awareness of the problem were the main focus of a meeting this week in Durham and Chapel Hill at the downtown Durham YMCA.

The Durham Center and The Chapel Hill YMCA have partnered with other groups in Durham, Chapel Hill, and Orange and Chatham counties to raise awareness of the issue.

“We want schools, youth sports organizations, faith groups, child-care and other places where children are served to have staff trained in spotting and preventing sexual abuse,” Nancy Kent with the Durham Center said.

Amanda Nieman from the Redwoods Group Foundation also attended the meeting. Nieman said the foundation aims to increase sex abuse education beyond organizations to the “broader community.”

“It is important to know that it can be prevented,” she said. “And we all have a role to play in that.”